


Molehills into Mountains

by MrsHamill



Series: Raising Madison [2]
Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Family, Kid Fic, M/M, Post Episode: s02e06 Trinity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-16
Updated: 2016-02-16
Packaged: 2018-05-21 02:53:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,030
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6035172
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MrsHamill/pseuds/MrsHamill
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A field trip to Colorado.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Molehills into Mountains

**Author's Note:**

> This one happens to pick up directly after _Bell's Theorem_ , but I can't guarantee they'll all be in chronological order. FYI: I've aged Madison by about a year and futzed with the events in SG1/SGA, sorry. Google 'night terrors' if you need more information; I speak here from experience. Thanks to Susan for the beta; any errors left are mine; you know the drill -- shewt'em.

Maddie gave up the ghost by nine-thirty, sound asleep in John's arms. The adults talked about inconsequential things, keeping away from topics that were immediate and dangerous but not to be talked about around kids. No matter how intelligent or deeply asleep the kid was.

By a bit after ten, they called it quits. "We'll be back in the morning," Mitchell said, smiling down at John. "Never figured you for the maternal type, Shep."

John would have flipped him off except both hands were needed to keep Maddie on his lap. "Come by early for breakfast, we can get a quick run in," he said softly.

"We're going to have to go back tomorrow afternoon," Jackson said. "We've still got to settle that supergate mess."

Carter leaned down and carefully kissed Madison on her forehead. "She's wonderful, Rodney," she said, straightening. "You and John are going to be perfect for her." She grinned. "And I can't believe you never told me your name is Meredith." 

Rodney groaned. "I am never going to live that down..."

Rodney showed John how to change a six year old's clothing without said six year old waking. John tucked Maddie into bed while Rodney closed up shop, then changed into a t-shirt and boxers and did his duty in the bathroom. He was in the hallway outside the bathroom when Rodney went past. "Uh..."

Rodney turned and gave him a mild glare. "Tell me you're not thinking about sleeping anywhere but in my bed. Our bed."

John grinned and looked down, surprised to feel a bit embarrassed. "Okay, okay. I just..."

"Idiot," Rodney said fondly, going into the bathroom.

Beelzebub was taking up far too much space on the bed when John walked into the room, and wasn't really happy about being pitched out. But John figured he needed to immediately stake his claim in Rodney's bed -- _their_ bed. Giving up that privilege was completely non-negotiable.

When Rodney came out of the bathroom, Beelzebub gave him an indignant meow. "This is me not caring, Beelz," Rodney said before closing the door in her face.

As Rodney changed into boxers and a t-shirt, John sat up, putting his arms around his knees. "We're going to need to go to the mountain," he said.

Rodney didn't even pause before climbing into bed. "Yeah." He wrapped his arm around John's shoulders and dragged them both horizontal. "I don't even have a passport for Madison."

"We can work on that Monday," was what John intended to say, but what came out was a little garbled, since by then, Rodney had his tongue halfway down John's throat. When they broke for air some time later, John gasped, "Yeah, I missed you too," and dove back in.

It wasn't so much sex as it was a wrestling match, one where Rodney came out on top, to John's surprise and pleasure. "You. Are. Not. Going. Away. Again," Rodney said, nearly snarled, as he yanked John's boxers off and raised John's shirt enough to expose his chest. Then his mouth descended on John and the rest was a bit... hazy.

He was pretty sure Rodney had gained another hand, because what else would explain Rodney's ability to suck and pinch and rub and finger, all simultaneously? By the time Rodney pushed into him, John had already come hard enough to lose his breath and was pretty much devoid of language higher than groans of pleasure. 

Rodney finished with his own groan, which sounded almost as much like pain as pleasure. His climax  left him  panting, gasping, draped over John's body. They were on the way to becoming stuck together, but John didn't care. He wrapped his arms around Rodney and held him tightly. "Not going away," he whispered. Rodney snuggled deeper, but didn't respond.

Before everything dried to glue, they separated and cleaned up, putting boxers and t-shirts back on. It was weird to John, having to remember there was a kid in the house. Before, they could have just stay in bed, covered with spunk and sweat, but that wasn't really an option anymore.

Not that he'd ever give it up, now that he had that responsibility.

He didn't know when he drifted off, but the sound of screaming jolted him awake so fast he thought he was still in Atlantis. By the time his brain determined the sound was coming from Madison, Rodney was out of bed and running for her room. John scrambled out of the sheets and blankets as fast as he could, following Rodney.

Madison was screaming, thrashing, her eyes open and terrified. "Rodney?" John asked, walking into the room and noting how tightly Rodney had her in his arms. 

"Don't pin her down, but don't let her hurt herself," Rodney gasped.

Madison's little body was wracked with spasms and she was still screaming. John settled on her bed so that he and Rodney bracketed her, both of them struggling to keep her from thrashing too hard and hurting herself. "It's okay, it's okay," John kept murmuring, but then Rodney said in a raw voice, "Don't. She can't hear you."

The fit went on for what felt like days. Finally, the screams began to subside, her muscles began to relax, and her eyes closed. Almost as abruptly as it had begun, it ended, her body going limp.

Rodney blew out a big breath and closed his eyes. "God I hate that," he muttered. "We can put her back down, now. It's over."

John saved his questions for later, back in Rodney's room and bed, pulling the covers straight around them. "What the hell was that?" he asked.

Swallowing hard, Rodney burrowed into John's embrace. Abruptly, John realized Rodney was trembling. "It's called 'night terrors' and it happens sometimes in small children who have been traumatized."

"Oh, God."

"The first time it happened, I took her to the emergency room," Rodney said, his voice partially muffled by John's t-shirt. "I wrapped her in her bed sheet and carried her out to the car and then drove like a maniac to the hospital. By the time I got there, she was starting to calm down. Luckily for us one of the nurses on duty worked in pediatrics and told me what the problem was."

Rodney swallowed and rubbed his cheek on John's t-shirt. "She told me that the next morning, Maddie wouldn't remember anything. She gave me some pamphlets and told me to research it on the web, so I did. And the next morning, Madison was fine, asking how she got in my bed."

"Jesus." 

"Yeah." Rodney squeezed himself closer to John. "Madison has it bad, but a couple of websites I went to told me it could be worse. Trauma can trigger it, and it was less than a week after the funeral when it first happened."

"Why didn't you tell me?" John asked, a little shaky himself.

"Because she hasn't done it in... God, months. Since before you showed up. I think maybe it was all the new faces, people, the conversation about the Ori -- she's too young to understand a lot of it, but she can pick up on voices, body language... she knows they're bad and scary."

"And if we end up on Atlantis, or even just at the mountain..."

"Yeah. Welcome to my world." Rodney sounded so terribly bitter.

"You don't have to do it alone any more," John said softly. "I can help, now."

Rodney didn't answer, but didn't move away, either. John counted it as a win.

* * *

Morning came far too early. John decided he was still on mountain time because Madison managed to wake him by surprise, literally jumping on him. "Unca John!"

"Oof, Madison!" John quickly tumbled her to the bed and away from sensitive bits. "We're going to have to talk about this propensity for jumping on beloved uncles."

Maddie giggled and snuggled down in the bed, between them. "Unca Mer?" 

Rodney's only reply was a grunt. 

"You know better than to talk to him before he's had his coffee," John said, tickling Maddie.

"If you _must_ be awake, please do it far away from me," Rodney said just before he buried his head under his pillow.

Madison showed no sign of the horrible night she'd had. Instead, she was her usual perky, sweet and somewhat obnoxious self. It was easy for John to fall back into the rhythm of the household -- making coffee, watching a few cartoons with Madison, contemplating what to make for Sunday breakfast. The latter was usually oatmeal or Cream of Wheat, since Saturday was the big sugar-fest, as Rodney called it. John had been around long enough to know that a sugared-out Madison was something he really, really didn't enjoy, which was why Saturday was for sugar; she tended to burn it off at ballet class.

Before a breakfast decision could be made, there was a knock on the door and John remembered he'd told Mitchell to come by early, for a run. It wasn't just Mitchell, though; Carter and Jackson were with him as well, and were carrying two big boxes of donuts from Tim Horton's. John was suddenly glad he'd thrown on a pair of old sweats before leaving the bedroom.

"I'd forgotten how much I love Tim Horton's donuts," Jackson said, while Carter just looked apologetic. 

"Donuts!" Madison crowed, reaching for the boxes. 

"Oh, no you don't," John said, grabbing her around the middle and swinging her away. "I know what you're like on a sugar high. Breakfast first."

"Awwww, Unca John!" She protested, squirming in his arms.

"Nope, nope and no," John said, holding a squealing Madison upside-down and directing Carter back to the kitchen with his chin.

Rodney emerged from his lair, wrapped in his old blue robe. "Did I put in an order for all of you people?" he asked, yawning. 

"Coffee's on," John said. He dropped Madison gently on the floor and lightly smacked the back of Rodney's head. "I'm going for a run. Let me change," he added, to Mitchell.

When he emerged again, Madison was in full whine mode. "But I want a donut!" 

"Madison Meredith Miller," Rodney said, and Carter had to hide a smile.

"Oooh, all three names. My mother used to do that. Meant I was really in for it," Carter whispered to John and Jackson. They already had coffee and were waiting for their shot at the donuts.

"But--"

"Are you _whining_?" Rodney asked.

She closed her mouth and pulled down the corners of it. "No," she said. "I'm _pouting_."

"And that strategy works about as well as...?"

"But I want a donut!" 

"As you have said, several times this morning. You can have a donut after you eat your Cream of Wheat. And one more whine out of you and you'll get _no_ donuts."

John closed the front door against the drama inside and turned to Mitchell. "I should feel more guilty about leaving Rodney with the whining monster, but I just don't."

Mitchell laughed. "Well, sorry about the donuts. Daniel was like a pig in mud in that store. We're lucky to have held him to just two boxes."

They stretched a bit then started off at an easy jog, gradually increasing their speed. John led them on the circuitous path he preferred, around the residential streets and the walkways along the golf course and through the park. It was still pretty early so there wasn't a lot of traffic, foot or car.

He figured they'd gone a couple of miles before he turned them back. They slowed to a walk at John's request for the last quarter mile. "Sorry, sorry," he gasped, getting his wind back. "Didn't get a lot of sleep last night."

Mitchell was fairly winded too, which helped. "Too much information, Shep," he said, in between pants.

"No, nothing like that," John laughed, hoping his face wasn't red. "Madison was up part of the night. Rodney calls 'em 'night terrors' and let me tell you--"

Mitchell stopped dead. "The sprat gets night terrors?"

"You know about that?"

"Yeah, I do. My cousin..." They started walking again. "All us cousins would stay with Meemaw -- my grandma -- in the summer. Silas was a couple years younger than me, but we all slept in the same place, up above the barn, where it was cooler. He liked to scare it right out of me a couple of times."

"That's what it pretty much did to me," John said with a sigh. "You know, I didn't expect this, not at all."

"What, you and McKay setting up house?"

"Yeah, I guess. I came to Toronto hoping to talk him into coming back to Atlantis, or at least to apologize for being a dick and pissing him off so much that he... thought his only option was to  leave Atlantis. I didn't expect Madison, or how she'd get under my skin." They were almost back to the house, pretty much cooled off. The neighborhood was beginning to wake up and John nodded to the older man who lived next to Rodney.

"You might not have expected it, but you've got it now, and it looks good on you, Shep." John gave him an incredulous look. "No, really. That kid is scary smart, and I wouldn't want to be in your place for a million bucks, but she absolutely adores you and you're doing well by her. You both are. That's really all a parent can hope to do, you know."

John stopped before they climbed the steps to the front stoop. "I'm not sure if I should be pleased or scared to death by you giving me parenting advice."

Mitchell slapped him on the back. "Take it as a compliment, bro, just nod and smile."

"I can do that," John replied as he opened the door.

* * *

Carter and Mitchell had brought reams of paperwork with them, some on the Ori, others on the SGC and their offers of employment. "You've never been officially removed, Rodney," Carter said to Rodney's obvious shock. "You've been marked down as 'official leave without pay.' If you want to come back, all we need to do is reactivate you." She turned to John. "You're going to have a lot more paperwork, but it'll be eased through. General Landry said he'd email you the pertinent papers for you to look at."

Madison was in the living room with Jackson, introducing him to the joy that was _Spongebob Squarepants_ while the 'adults' finished the last of the donuts and coffee. "This is weird," John said, biting into his last donut. "It already feels bizarre to not be part of the military."

"You're very much the fair-haired boy back home," Mitchell said. "You've got the gene, you know Atlantis inside and out, _and_ you come with McKay." He grinned as John scowled.

"It's true, John," Carter said. "Lorne and Caldwell are sick and tired of dealing with the scientists who are sick and tired of them as well. With Radek getting married and maybe coming back--"

"Maybe? What's this maybe?" Rodney demanded.

Carter rolled her eyes and grimaced. "Well, we're still hoping to persuade him to stay; if you come back, he probably will. Atlantis has really started opening up, now that we've got the ZPMs and put the Wraith on the run. If the three of you go, you'll find other families with kids following."

Rodney didn't look quite convinced. "I still think it's safer on Earth..."

"Did you catch that virus last year?" Mitchell asked. When Rodney looked shocked, he added, "Prior plague, we called it. Spread by the damn Ori."

"I locked us all in Jeannie's house and wouldn't come out until I was assured it was under control," Rodney murmured. "Huh."

"We've got problems with them here," Carter said, nodding. "And truthfully? If I were you and had to choose, I'd choose Atlantis."

John stayed silent. This was a decision Rodney would have to make, and all John could do was back him up. But he really, really wanted to go back to Atlantis, wanted all three of them to go back to Atlantis, especially now when not even Earth was safe.

"I wouldn't be able to leave completely for a few months," Rodney finally said. "I've got commitments at UT, I can't just up and go. Madison doesn't even have a passport."

"We might be able to help with that, well, with both, actually," Carter said. "I'll look into it for you."

It wasn't long before Mitchell, Carter and Jackson had to leave, to Madison's regret; it seemed she had been joined by someone her age in Jackson. When Carter bent down to her level, she said, "Why don't you drag your Uncle Meredith and your Uncle John out to see us, at Cheyenne Mountain. We'd love to have you visit."

Mitchell was the last to leave; he tugged John aside. "Here, take this," he said, passing John a small device which looked a bit like a flash drive with no port. "Things start happening, get the three of you together and press it, here. Personal IDC, it broadcasts on a very particular frequency in subspace. We can pick it up, so can the Asgard, and you'll be beamed out if you're within range."

John looked at it for a moment, then nodded. "Thanks."

Rodney closed the door and blew out a big breath. "I knew Carter wouldn't be able to resist calling me Meredith."

"I wanna see the stargate. Can we go visit them, Unca Mer?" 

"We'll see," Rodney hedged, looking at John. "We'll see."

* * *

Rodney and John spent a good part of the rest of Sunday discussing logistics. In between, they went back to the store, helped Madison with her homework, cleaned the house -- all the domestic things John had missed so terribly during his week in Colorado. Madison dragged him to the computer and showed him how she'd been playing on-line games, including one where you actually create your own pet, or something like that. He did his best to warn her about bad things on the web, and he thought she might have actually heard him. She was agitating for her own video game system, and John shook his head. Suddenly, Christmas seemed a _lot_ closer.

They also spent a large part of the evening trying to get Madison to understand the words 'classified' and 'top secret' and explaining to her why she shouldn't just go mentioning the stargate to all her friends. "Not that anybody would believe her, really," John said, sotto voce, to Rodney. Rodney had just sighed.

The biggest surprise, however, came at dinner.

"Unca Mer?" Madison asked in-between bites of her meatless chili which was pretty darn good even if John said so himself.

Rodney raised his eyebrow at her. "Yes?"

"When are you and Unca John going to get married?"

Rodney managed to swallow, somehow, but John felt like he had chili up his _nose_.

Rodney had to take a sip of his beer before he could talk. "What?"

She gave them the helpless, Bambi eyes, the look that had fooled John for about fifteen minutes the first time he saw it. "Well, you love each other," she said, ticking the points off on her hand as she talked, "you sleep in the same bed, you take care of me and Beelz, and... and... Chrisobel said that's what people who are married do. So, you need to get married. When? Leah's dad, her real dad, got married and she was the flower girl!" Madison bounced in her seat. "Can I be a flower girl?"

"As far as I'm concerned, you already are a flower girl, Beav," John said, trying to keep from hyperventilating.

"I think that's something we can talk about later, Three-M," Rodney said. Man, John wished he could do that calm voice at the drop of a hat.

"Much later," John muttered to himself. Married? He knew he'd facetiously asked Rodney to marry him, but... but... 

Same-sex marriages were legal in Canada.

John wrenched his mind from the topic and asked who wanted to go for ice cream for dessert. Yeah, it was a weak-assed dodge, but it worked and that was the important thing.

They each had assignments for Monday, the long round of practicalities even a short trip to the mountain would entail. Rodney definitely needed to see the classified reports on the Ori and John wanted an update too. Carter told him they were planning some kind of test to see if they could disable the supergate, and that they needed Rodney's help with it. Rodney was amenable, but was still worried. 

The talking carried over into bed. "University is going to be the worst," Rodney said, rolling over so he could put his head on John's shoulders. "They're not going to be happy campers."

"You don't have a contract you can break, though, do you?" John asked.

"Well, yes, I do," Rodney replied. "But even if I didn't, it's going to be a battle."

"I'll talk to Maddie's tutor tomorrow, see where she stands there."

"That's good." Rodney apparently decided that was the end of the conversation, because he rolled on top of John and began kissing the life out of him.

* * *

The university was the worst, as Rodney had predicted. They fought him tooth-and-nail, and John might have been worried except for the vicious gleam in Rodney's eyes every time he discussed it. Perhaps, John thought, he should feel sorry for the university staff, instead.

Before the end of the week, a courier arrived with a passport for Madison, actually shocking Rodney into speechlessness. By Friday, the fight at Rodney's school had died down -- they were going to release him but demanded a buyout and that he find someone qualified to take his place. The SGC approved the funds for the buyout and said they would help Rodney in the search for a replacement. That, more than any classified reports or anything else, scared them the most. The people at the SGC were just bending over backwards for them, and that didn't happen unless there was a serious problem.

They flew out Saturday afternoon, unbelievably soon for such a trip, considering the logistics. Rodney's secretary had agreed to keep her eye on the house and to take care of Beelzebub for them. John felt like he'd been living out of suitcases for far too long and really wanted to get some place -- Earth, Atlantis, wherever -- safe, for himself and his family, but there he was again, traveling. It was getting old.

 It took them almost nine hours to get to Cheyenne Mountain, and Madison was very good for about the first hour of the trip. After that, it became a record stuck on "Are we there, yet?" no matter what games John and Rodney came up with to amuse her.

By the time they arrived, they were frazzled and ready to kill for some peace and quiet. Their military escort met them and took their luggage to the off-base apartment that would be their home away from home. Madison was thrilled to get her very own ID badge; she kept lifting it to her face and looking at it. 

She was also enthralled by the descent into the mountain. "How deep are we gonna go, Unca John?"

"Pretty deep," John said, without thinking.

"Just about half a mile," Rodney said, sounding distracted.

"Is Sam there? And Daniel? Will we see them?"

"I don't know, Three-M. But we'll find out soon enough."

Madison was standing between John and Rodney, her hands in theirs. The marine on escort detail glanced around as Maddie spoke and gave her a smile. While usually pretty forward with strangers, this time she pulled back, acting shy, partially hiding behind John's leg. John smiled down, reassuring her.

The elevator opened and there stood General Landry. John had to stop his first instinct which was to snap to attention and salute. At least Landry was smiling.

"Dr. McKay! Good to have you back. And same to -- I guess I should say _Mister_ Sheppard."

John shook Landry's hand while Rodney lifted his own, already taken hand. "And this must be Miss Miller." Landry crouched down, his hands on his knees. "It's nice to meet you, Miss Miller," he said with a broad smile.

Madison ducked her head but smiled. "You should call me Madison," she said softly.

"Only if you'll call me Hank."

She looked almost affronted. "But you're a general! Unca John said so. And said you're supposed to be... spoke to... um..." 

She was hunting for the words so John prompted her with a stage whisper; "With decorum and respect."

"Yeah, that!" 

John could see Landry was being bowled over by the intense cuteness of Madison at her most winsome. But John knew Landry had at least one kid so he bet himself that it wouldn't take long before the bloom wore off _that_ rose.

"Well, then, we seem to be at an impasse, Miss Miller. Can you think of a way around it?"

Maddie screwed up her face in thought. "I could call you General Hank," she finally offered

Landry beamed. "In that case, I'll call you Miss Madison. Does that work?"

"Uh-huh! Can I see the stargate now?"

John and Landry chuckled but John saw Rodney roll his eyes. "You've got a ways to go before you get there," Landry said. "So let's get going."

Landry led the way to the second bank of elevators. Madison kept a death-grip on John's and Rodney's hands, which gave him some indication of her nervousness. He hoped they weren't going to get a case of night terrors again after trip, the new people, and all the change.

"Most of SG1 is on the Odyssey, headed for a black hole in Pegasus," Landry said as they walked. They stepped into the second elevator and descended again. "Teal'c is here, he'll be leaving shortly for Chulak and from there to the supergate. Carter has some equations for you, Dr. McKay. I hate to put you to work the moment you arrive..."

"No, no, it's quite all right, what are they trying to do?"

John followed Rodney's and Landry's conversation with a quarter of his attention. The rest was wound up in Madison, who was being uncharacteristically quiet. "Hey, you," he said quietly. "You doing okay there, Beav?"

Madison nodded but her eyes were like saucers as she took in the base. There were soldiers everywhere and John tried to see it from her eyes, from her perspective. It would be incredibly frightening, John thought, and resolved to fight for down time and a lot of it, no matter where they ended up.

Landry led them to the briefing room and pointed Madison to the window. "There's your stargate, Miss Madison," he said. 

Madison ran to the window and plastered her hands and face to it. After a moment, she turned, her face twisted into a frown. "That's all it is?"

"Not very special, is it?" Landry said. 

They heard someone climbing the steps to the briefing room and John recognized Teal'c as he came into sight. "General Landry. I believe I am ready for my trip to Chulak."

"Good," Landry replied. "I think you know Dr. McKay and Col-- I mean, Mr. Sheppard."

"Indeed." He inclined his head, then, to John's surprise, went to one knee in front of Madison. "I am Teal'c of the Jaffa," he said, in a low and gentle voice. "I have heard much about you from my friends and colleagues. It is an honor to meet you." He extended his hand to her.

Maddie smiled tentatively, glancing up at John for permission before speaking. "I'm Madison," she said. She took his hand in her little one and pumped it once. "What's that gold thing on your head? It's pretty."

"It is the mark of my slavery," Teal'c replied. His voice was calm and as grave as if he were speaking to a leader of a world. "I and my people, the jaffa, are not human. Until recently, we were enslaved to the false gods, but with the help of humans, the tau'ri, we are no longer enslaved."

"Oh, we helped? That's neat! I'd like to visit your planet some day. Do you go through the stargate?"

"Yes, I do. And as I am bound by duty, I must leave you now for the 'gate and my world. Would you care to observe?"

"Yay! Yes, I would!" She looked up at John and Rodney. "Can I?"

"Since we're here, I don't think you could miss it," John said. 

Landry had a few last minute orders for Teal'c, John heard them, and Rodney's briefing of the mission, as well, but he tuned it out, continuing to focus on Madison. He pushed a chair over to the window overlooking the 'gate room and settled on it, putting Madison on his lap.

"What makes the stargate go?" she asked, leaning back against him. 

"You'll have to ask your Uncle Rodney that one, because it's beyond me." John wrapped his arms around her in a firm hug.

The 'gate began to dial, the blaring of the warning klaxon startling them. Madison watched, utterly fascinated, as the chevrons locked and the 'gate whooshed open. "Wow," she whispered.

John grinned. Yeah, it was pretty impressive.

Teal'c walked up the ramp to the 'gate, but before going through it, he turned and waved to John and Madison. Madison waved back, frantically, and Teal'c bowed his head to them before turning back to the stargate and walking through.

Madison was riveted until the 'gate closed. "Coooool," she murmured.

* * *

The apartment they'd been assigned was bland to the extreme. It was furnished with reasonably comfortable furniture and had two bedrooms, one with a king-sized bed and the other with two twins. Whoever had 'decorated' the place obviously hadn't been expecting children -- the carpet was barely one step away from white.

Both John and Rodney expected Madison to wake with night terrors that night, but she didn't. She was up at an obscene hour the next morning -- still on eastern time -- and confused because Rodney wasn't in bed with John. 

They'd gone to bed together, doing nothing so much as just collapsing on the bed, instantly asleep. But sometime in the middle of the night, Rodney's cell had rung and he'd slipped out. John knew the project was urgent, so he hadn't said anything. To Madison, he explained that Rodney would be back later, that he was working on a project with all their friends.

By the time 'obscenely early' turned into just 'early,' they had breakfast ready. Madison was thrilled to note that the TV in the apartment had both Nickelodeon and Cartoon Channel, and John was trying to figure out how to keep her from turning into a couch potato.

As they were finishing, Rodney ran in, disheveled and exhausted. "I'm only here to shower and--" He took a sniff-- "Is that French toast?"

"Yeah, with real maple syrup," John said. He wasn't above bribery when it came to Rodney and anyway, the kitchen came stocked with it. "Get your shower and change and I'll make you some."

In short order, Rodney returned, his hair still damp. Madison was sitting on her chair at the kitchen table, across from the seat he took, sipping apple juice while kicking the legs of her chair. "Unca Mer, you were gone," she said, accusingly.

"Yes, yes, I know, I'm sorry," Rodney mumbled around a mouthful of food. "And I've got to go back, too. They're trying a 'gate jump, from Pegasus to the supergate in the Milky Way, using a black hole to power it. Should keep the supergate active indefinitely, keeping the Ori from using it."

"What's a black hole?" Madison asked. John sat down next to her and tried to copy her wide-eyed innocence.

Rodney snorted, which told John he was on to both of them. "Do you remember when we studied star types?"

"Oh be a fine girl kiss me right now smack!" Madison sang and John almost choked on his coffee.

"What?" Rodney said to him. "It's a perfectly good mnemonic! Used for years." He shoveled in the last of his breakfast then spoke around it. "A black hole is a giant star that has collapsed in on itself. Instead of becoming a neutron star, it's pulled the fabric of the universe around it and has become a hole in space-time, one where the gravity is so strong not even light can get out. Though maybe x-rays can, but that's open for debate. Hawking has blind spots the size of elephants." He swallowed and washed it down with coffee. "They're trying a gate jump, by dialing the supergate from Pegasus, using a 'gate near the accretion disc of a black hole. Should keep the thing powered indefinitely."

"I think I remember something about that," John said, frowning as he searched his memory.

"SG1 did it years ago, so they know it's possible. Thing is, they need a nuke -- or maybe several of them -- to make the initial jump between stargates. The yield calculations are next to impossible, which is why I'm needed, making sure they get it right." Rodney finished his coffee. "Teal'c should be there shortly, at the supergate, and I need to make sure he's going to be able to relay through it."

"Is Teal'c going to be okay?" Madison asked.

Rodney stood and gave her a smile. "Of course he is, Three-M. I'll make sure of it." He gave Madison a quick kiss on her forehead, gave John a more lingering one on his lips, and just like that, he was gone.

John looked at Madison and raised one eyebrow. "I guess it's just you and me, kiddo," he said. "Dishes first."

It was a pretty good day, John reflected. He was getting incredibly sick of filling out forms, but he was able to break it up with other activities. He and Madison finished _Eight Days of Luke_ which meant they had to find the library to get books on Norse mythology. That path led them to an annotated _Grimm's Fairy Tales_ which he discovered could be purchased in the local bookstore that catered to the university. 

In their exploration of Colorado Springs, they discovered the zoo, the parks, the hiking trails -- many of which were easy enough even for little feet -- and whitewater rafting. There was also a natatorium with a two-story high water slide. John decided to get them swim wear if it looked like they were going to be there for more than a day or two.

The next morning, Rodney hadn't even come home. After a quick call to the SGC to make sure Rodney was still _alive_ , John decided to heck with it and took Maddie to Target to buy them both swimsuits. He left a note on the table and word on the phone, and took his cell phone too, just in case. They had a great time at the natatorium and even went out to dinner, at which time John discovered Red Robin Restaurant.

That evening, John went to bed alone and in the morning, woke up alone, not even a dent where Rodney might have been sleeping next to him. When Madison woke up, she didn't even jump on him. Instead, she asked questions about Unca Mer and was he okay? John reassured her, getting angrier by the minute. It was so damn much like Rodney, John thought as he ate breakfast. When they left, he didn't even bother to leave a note.

They went to the zoo, where they spent the bulk of their day. In the late afternoon, they went up one of the easier hiking paths with John pointing out the plants and formations he knew. When they got home, there was still no sign of Rodney, so John decided to get pizza, going so far as to order it vegetarian. Then he and Madison curled up with a movie from the neighborhood Blockbuster -- _Spirited Away_ \-- and went to bed early.

Madison's screams got him moving before he was completely awake. As he soothed her, kept her from flailing too much, he realized Rodney _still_ wasn't home and it made him feel almost like throwing things -- it should be _Rodney_ with John, helping Maddie. By the time Madison had settled back down, John was wide awake and seething.

He pulled her covers back up and went to the kitchen to get a beer. He sat on the living room couch in the darkness and tried to figure out how he was feeling, something he absolutely hated doing. He thought about Doranda -- there were other things aside from the trust issues that had made him crazy. Rodney could have won back his trust, could have done it easily, in fact. But he didn't even  try. He was all wrapped up in his work, didn't have time to see John. They'd been lovers for only a year... 

John sighed. They hadn't been actually _lovers_ until a few weeks before Doranda. John had kept Rodney at arm's length because he was... Godammit, he had been afraid. He had been afraid and so he kept turning 'making love' into 'fucking' and kept Rodney away, because he knew it would end badly -- it always ended badly -- and he wanted to head that off at the pass.

The distressingly short line of John Sheppard's past lovers began to parade in front of him, from out of and back into the shadows of the living room. Not a single one of them had gotten in to the real John Sheppard as much Rodney had.  John knew, though he didn't like to admit it, that he'd been at least partially at fault for all the breakups, Rodney's included. But Rodney had been to blame too, hadn't taken the time to try and earn John's trust back. Then Katie Brown had died in a freak accident involving some Ancient technology Rodney had cleared for use. 

Rodney had come to John, looking for... what? Comfort? Reassurance? But all John had done was to yell at him, had told him to get out of the clouds of perfection where he thought he was and back on solid earth, where he belonged. He had told Rodney he'd lost John's trust, once and for all... trust and everything else. It was only later that John realized what that stricken look on Rodney's face had meant.

Rodney had just left, just packed a duffle and a small box, had gone to Elizabeth before she'd even had any coffee and had handed her his resignation. He'd gone through the 'gate back to Earth before she could even speak.

John had thought he was going to be all right. He'd thought the hole inside him could be filled by work and duty. Then about two weeks before the two year anniversary of Rodney's leaving, Teyla had taken him to the gym and had proceeded to beat the shit out of him with the sticks. When she'd finally had him where she'd wanted him, she'd told him off in no uncertain terms and then had told him to go find and make his peace with Rodney. She'd said if he didn't, she would continue to beat him every day because she'd had enough of his short temper, his shorter attention span, and most of all, his denial there was something wrong. John had agreed -- he might have been an idiot but he wasn't dumb -- and had asked for the time off.

He hadn't counted on Madison, hadn't counted on seeing Rodney and realizing he had been and still was in love with the jerk. A big chunk of him just wanted to run screaming, but apparently, sometime in the last two years, he'd grown up -- at least a little bit. He didn't know exactly when it had happened, and didn't know if maybe Teyla had helped, but he was able to wrestle his juvenile need for space to the ground and pin it there. He would stay. He would try to make it, for Madison's sake if not his own.

In the middle of John's beer and contemplations, Rodney finally returned. He looked terrible, and was wearing the same clothes that he'd had on two days before.

He stopped just inside the door as it closed behind him. "Um... John?"

"C'mere," John said, patting the sofa next to him. "We've gotta talk, and let me tell you, it won't wait and it's gonna hurt like a sonofabitch." Thank God he had a little alcohol in his system -- he might just be able to actually say what he needed to say.

Rodney sat down, gingerly. "This can't wait? I've been up for something like thirty-six hours..."

"Maddie had night terrors tonight," John replied. "And I think it was because you were missing and hadn't even called. Rodney, you can't _do_ that anymore. It's one thing to leave me in the lurch, it's another to leave Maddie--"

"I'm not!" Rodney said, then immediately lowered his voice. "I'm not at all! This was a mission, one that was life or death, that important--"

"Rodney, you're missing the point!" John hissed. "They're _all_ important! Everything you work on is so important that you save the planet, hell, the galaxy, regularly! But I know there are always minutes during every crisis, when you have to piss, when you have to drink or eat something, and those minutes are when you need to call home, to reconnect, dammit." 

"I..."

"Look, I lo..." John shook his head, couldn't get that one out, not yet, maybe not ever. "You know how much you mean to us, to Maddie. What you're doing now... it's nearly the same as it was two years ago." Rodney flinched, it was visible despite the shadows in the room. John handed him the bottle and Rodney downed the rest in one gulp. "When it was just me, it was bad enough. But you've got more at stake here, now."

Rodney fell back against the couch, almost bumping his head on the wall behind it. "I can't do this," he mumbled. He sounded exhausted, down to his last nerve.

"Yes, you can." John slouched back too, against Rodney's side. "Rodney, I was a bastard and a half for letting you go, for yelling at you. I'm sorry, I really am. But I wasn't the only one who made mistakes."

Shaking his head, Rodney closed his eyes. "They want me back, they want _us_ back, on Atlantis, working for them. If we do, I'll just... I'll just..."

"No. You won't. Because it's not just you, it's me, too, now." John took a deep breath and tried to speak without his natural censor. "But don't you _dare_ ask me to go with you as a glorified babysitter, because I can take care of Madison while you're off working thirty-six hour days. I'm telling you right now, Meredith Rodney McKay, I won't go at all if that's all you want." There. It was out. By the silence next to him, John could tell that the barb had hit.

Rodney's eyelids fluttered and John could tell he was on the verge of breaking down. "C'mon," John said, heaving himself to his feet. "Come to bed." He left the empty bottle on the coffee table and steered Rodney back to their bedroom, where they encountered a surprise asleep in the middle of the bed. 

"Madison?" John asked, quietly. Had they woken her up?

"Unca Mer's back," Madison said, her voice slurring.

Rodney made a sound John had never heard him make before. He pulled off his jacket, his boots, took the belt off his pants and settled in, next to Madison. "I'm home," he whispered. Madison nestled up against him. "They need me to stay for the mission briefing at fourteen hundred."

John nodded, even as he made sure Madison was warm under the covers. "Okay. Then we can go home."

* * *

They were all bleary-eyed the next morning. John insisted on all three of them going to the briefing.  Though Rodney initially disagreed, the look on Madison's face made him relent. When she asked whether her friends would be there, he had to say he didn't know.

But they were. Mitchell, Jackson, Carter and that Vala woman who'd been working with them, they all came through the 'gate from Atlantis. They'd seen Madison pressed against the glass overlooking the 'gate room and waved to her. When Jackson got up the stairs, he caught Madison and swung her around, both of them laughing like loons. 

Mitchell tousled her hair in passing. "Hey, sprat! What'd you do to Daniel? He keeps singing some da- stupid song about living in a pineapple under the sea."

"I do not," Jackson protested. "Madison Miller, this is Vala Mal Doran." He leaned down and whispered -- so loud everyone could hear -- "Hide your piggy bank or she'll steal it."

"I will not. I'll only borrow it. Hello, Madison Miller. Who do you belong to?"

"She's Rodney's niece," Carter said before anyone else. "I'll explain it better later." As soon as Sam sat, Maddie wanted to be on her lap.

That's where Madison stayed for the entire briefing, following everyone's conversation with an intent look on her face. She only asked a question once, in relation to the total yield to payload ratio of their nukes, their 'bombs' as Maddie put it. All conversation stopped for an instant and John had to hide a smile at Landry's face. Carter finally replied, because even Rodney didn't have that information immediately available in his brain.

Carter had a folder with loose sheets of paper and Maddie asked quietly if she could use them. Carter smiled and handed her a mechanical pencil. John, who was sitting next to them, continued to follow the briefing until he heard Carter gasp.

Madison had covered one of the pages with equations and diagrams. John wasn't sure, but it looked like...

"That would increase the yield of a standard naquadah-enhanced nuke," Carter breathed. "Significantly."

"Uh-huh," Madison said. She was intent on the other page, a bit of her tongue pushing between her lips as she drew a landscape picture, complete with mountains, birds and stick figures. "Unca Mer told me about them," she said, still drawing. "I like nackada, it's fun and weird! But you gotta use 'em to better... to better..." She frowned and looked between John and Rodney. "When you use all of something, not just a little bit of it?"

"Better effect," Rodney murmured while a slow, proud smile grew across John's face.

Finally Madison realized everyone was watching her. She blushed and pushed herself back into Carter's embrace.

"Miss Madison?" Landry said. He still looked a little shell-shocked, but to his credit, he was also smiling.

"Uh-huh, General Hank?" SG1 exchanged looks and grins at that.

"May Stargate Command have the equations you've worked out? I think they would be of great help to us."

Madison glanced across the table at Rodney, who nodded very slightly, then smiled. "Okey-dokey. I'm hungry, when's dinner?"

"Dinner is on the SGC tonight," Landry said. "And includes all of us. Are we finished here?"

"Yes sir," Mitchell said, rising as Landry did. 

Carter made an aborted attempted to rise, but Landry waved her down. "As you were. Oh, before we lose you, Mr. Sheppard, Dr. Lee asked me to pass something along to you and Dr. McKay. He's reasonably certain it's Ancient tech but--"

It was a white, ovoid thing that looked like a really big egg. Landry passed it down the table to John, who was just past Madison. As Madison took it to pass along, the thing opened along seams that hadn't appeared to be there earlier and began glowing in several different colors. It hummed. "Cool," Maddie said, so engrossed in the thing that she didn't see everyone staring at her again.

"Did I forget to mention that she's got the ancient gene?" Rodney said, and the tone of his voice said it all.

end


End file.
